Roll the Body

Roll the Body

Description: When a character is knocked out of commission (such as at 0hp), their status is unknown unless an ally checks on them to see if they are living or dead. At that time the character makes a single saving throw or Luck Checks to see if they are alive, at which point they can be restored to consciousness.

Find it in: Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, Low Fantasy Gaming, Troika!

Keywords: Cinematic, Dangerous, Gritty, Pulpy, Rules-light, Tense

Genres: Crime, Low Fantasy, Pulp, Western 

Lucky Escape

Lucky Escape

Description: Used in TTRPGs that use a Luck Scores. When a party of PCs is attempting to fled a battle they make Luck Checks, if more than half the party succeeds, then the party shakes their attackers and winds up in a relatively safe location that the GM chooses. Alternatively, everyone who succeeds escapes. This removes the need for chase mechanics.

Find it in: Low Fantasy Gaming

Keywords: Cinematic, Fast-paced, Pulpy, Rules-light, Swashbuckling

Genres: Crime, Low Fantasy, Pulp, Sword & Sorcery, Western

Weapon Depletion

Weapon Depletion

Description: Through heavy use, a weapon can become damaged, weakened, or harder to use, resulting in lower accuracy or less damage until repaired. This is usually found alongside Gear Quality rules.

Find it In: Delve 2e, The Black Hack, Tiny Dungeon 2e

Keywords : Cinematic, Dangerous, Gritty, Pulpy, Survival, Tense

Genres: Dark Fantasy, Horror, Survival Horror, Sword and Sorcery 

Watch and Learn

Watch and Learn

Description: When a character spends an action to watch an ally perform a skill that they do not possess, they may make a test to learn it at the lowest possible level of ability. (5% in a percentile system like Warhammer Fantasy, 1 rank in D&D3e or Pathfinder) Characters must improve the skill further using standard character advancement.

Find it in: Delve 2e

Keywords: Cinematic, Exploration, Pulpy, Survival 

Genres: Crime, Dark Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Military, Pulp, Science Fiction, Survival Horror, Western

Steal the Spotlight

Steal the Spotlight

(a.k.a. "Hold my beer", Time to Shine) 

Description: Once per session, characters get to declare that they are grandstanding and showing off their ability. They gain a vastly increased dice pool or double advantage on this roll.

Find it in: The Islands of Purple-Haunted Putrescence (NSFW), Alpha Blue (NSFW)

Keywords: Cinematic, Epic, Fast-paced, Heroic, Pulpy, Swashbuckling 

Genres: Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Martial Arts, Pulp, Science Fiction, Superhero, 

Armor Points

Armor Points

Description: Used in games that use hot points, wound levels, or damage tracks, Armor adds additional damage to the total the character can take that cannot heal unless the armor is repaired. 
Find it in: Blades in the Dark, Tiny Dungeon 2e, Pacts and Blades 
Keywords: Fast-paced, Tactical, Cinematic
Genres: Crime, Military, Sword and Sorcery, Low Fantasy, Science Fiction

Depletion Dice

Depletion Dice

Description: Instead of tracking individual items like money, rations, and ammunition, a die can be expressed as a die. Each time the resource is taxed, the die is rolled to test whether that resource has been reduced in quantity, which is represented bt replacing the die with a smaller one on a dice chain. After a d4 fails a roll to avoid depletion, the resource is lost. Offers a visual way to track resources. 

Find it in: the Black Hack, Tiny Dungeon 2e 
Keywords: Rules-Light, Fast-paced, Cinematic, Pulpy
Genres: Any

Encumbrance Slots

Encumbrance Slots

Description: Instead of measuring gear by weight, give PCs a limited number of slots, either fixed or stat-based, in which items can be carried. Small items might fit in a single slot. Armor and very large items in multiples. 
Find it in: Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Knave, Maze Rats, Mausritter 
Keywords: Rules-light, Cinematic,
Genres: Any

Let the Mail be Rent

Let the Mail be Rent

Description: Sacrifice Armor effectiveness to reduce damage. 
Find it in: Right Here
Keywords: Fantastical, Tactical, Heroic, Cinematic, Swashbuckling 
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Science Fiction, Post-apocalyptic, Pulp

Let the Shield be Shattered

Let the Shield be Shattered

Description: Sacrifice a shield to reduce the damage of an attack. 
Find it in: ICRPG Core 2e, the Black Hack
Keywords: Fantastical, Tactical, Heroic, Cinematic, Swashbuckling 
Genres: Sword & Sorcery, High Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Science Fiction